Acetylene-gas generator



IVA E5555 April 28, 1931. c c 1,803,207

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR Filed Feb. 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l amt MATTHEWPfl/vCH/M April 28, 1931. M. PANCHICK 1,303,207

AQETYLENE GAS GENERATOR Filed Feb. 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 igmwim I W/TA/E S 5 E 5 gwventoz April 28, 1931. M. PANCHICK ACETYLENE GASGENERATOR Filed Feb. 1, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3mm tor, AMTfG/EWPAM/CHICK W/TIVE Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITEDFYSTATEFS PATENT OFF-ICE-MATTHEW PANCHICK, OF DETROIT", MICHIGAN ACE'IYLENE-GAS GENERATDRApplication filed February 1, 1928. Serial No. 251,219.

This invention relates to acetylene gas generators and has for anobject'theconstruction of such a structure which may be transported andat the same time efiiciently ,5, generate acetylene gas.

Another object of this invention is the formation of an acetylene gasgenerator including a gas generating chamber, within which is removablysupported a sheet metal tray adapted to receive sediment and permit gasto escape therefrom and a wire mesh tray fitted within the sheet metaltray adapted to carry the calcium carbide.

While the accompanying drawings and the description which is to follow,constitute a disclosure of the preferredembodiment of the invention, itwill be understood that various changes may be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed. g

In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the apparatus embodying theinvention, the view being of a schematic nature;

Figure 2 is a vertical diametric sectional view through the generator ofthe apparatus;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line3 30f Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview through the carburetorof the apparatus; v Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through one ofthe drying units for drying the gas prior to its delivery to thecarburetor;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional viewthrough the supply pipe by whichwater is admitted to the generator;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustratlng a slightmodlficatlon of the invention.

vention includes a generator which is indi cated in general by thenumeral 1, a pair of drying un'its indicatedone by the numeral 2 and theother by the numeral 3,a-source of compressed air supply indicated bythe nu meral 4, and a carburetor indicated .by the numeral 5.

The construction of the generator I is best illustrated in Figures 2, 3and 6 of the drawings and, asshown most clearly in Figure 2, '65

the generator comprises a water reservoir 6 and a generating chamber 7.The water reservoir 6 and generating chamber 7 are of generalcylindrical form and the said reservoir is disposed upon the top of thegenerating chamber and is provided at the peripheryof its bottom with anannular seat- 'ing groove '8 whichopposes a similar groove 9 formed atthe periphery of the-top-of the generating chamber 7, the groove 9 beingprovided in a flange 10 which projects inwardly from the upper edge ofthe circumferential wall of said chamber, andthe chamber being open atits top. A packing ring or gasket 11- p of rubber is disposed within thematching grooves '8 and '9 and serves tov prevent the escape ofacetylene gas from the-generating chamber 7. In order that the reservoir6 and generating chamber? maybe separab'ly con- 7,

As illustrated in Figure l of the drawings, 7 the system or apparatusembodying the inmanner at its lower end asat 13'to the upper side of thebottom of the generating chamher 7 centrally thereofan d extendsupwardly and through a tube 14 which is arranged centrally. within thegenerating chamber 7 andunited at its upper and lower ends, in an ,7

air-tight manner, to the top and bottom of the said chamber, a nut 15being threaded onto theupper end oft-he stem 12 and binding against, awasher 16 which'is arranged upon the said end of the stem and bearsuponthe I upper 'side'of the top of the generating chainsupport for asubstantially.circular tray 17 comprising a circumferential wall 18 anda bottom 19, the circumferential wall 18 of the tray being provided atits top with an outstanding flange 20 which rests upon the flange 7, thetray being in this manner removably supported within the generatingchamber. For a purpose to be presently explained thecircumferential wallof the tray 17 is formed with a number of perforations indicated by thenumeral21. Arranged within the tray 17 is a similarly formed trayindicated by the numeral 22 comprising a circumferential wall 23 and abottom 24, this tray being of wire mesh material and of a diameter anddepth somewhat less t an the corresponding dimensions of the tray. 17 sothat the circumferential walls and bottoms of the two trays willbemutually spaced. The circumferential wall 23 of the tray 22 isprovided at its upper edge with an outstanding flange 25 which restsupon the flange 20 of the tray 17. A tube 26 is secured at its lower endto the upper side of the bottom 19 of the tray 17 and extends upwardlywithinthe tray and a short distance above the same so as to have itsupper end presented relatively close to the under side of the bottom ofthe reservoir 6, and the stem 12 extends upwardly through this tube.

'In order that a supply of water may be initially introduced into thereservoir '6, the reservoir is provided upon its top with a fillingspout 27 which is closed by an airtight cap 28. In carrying out theinvention, water is supplied from the reservoir, in regulate-dquantities, to a mass of calcium carbide which is arranged within thetray 22, so as to eflect the generation of the acetylene'gas, and inorder that this supply of water may be effected and controlled, means isprovided which will now lee-described. -The means referred to above forsupplying water from the reservoir 6 to the generating chamber 7comprises a vwater supply tube 29 which is fitted through openings 30and 31, in an air-tight manner, formed in the top and bottomrespectively of the reservoir 6, the said tube extending upwardly abovethe top of the reservoir and downwardly beneath the bottom thereof withits lower end terminating within the tray 22 above the bottom of saidtray. In that portion of its length which extends between the top andbottom. of the reservoir 6, the tube 29 is formed with a plurality ofsmall perforations indicated by the numeral 32, and the lower end of thetube is reduced in diameter and interiorly tapered as at 33 to provide adelivery orifice of relatively small diameter and a valve seat. At thispoint it will be understood that water, contained within the reservoir6, is delivered through the perforations 32, from the reservoir, intothe tube 29 and is delivered, by way of'the orifice 33, at the lower endof said tube, into the mass of calcium carbide which is supported withinthe tray 22. In order that the flow of water from the lower end of thetube 29, into the mass of calcium carbide within the tray 22, mayberegulated, a coupling 34 is applied to the upper end of the tube andis closed at its upper end by a cap 35 having a central threaded opening36 in which is adjustably mounted the threaded upper portion 37 of avalve rod 38 the lower end of which is tapered as at 39 so as to conformto the valve seat which surrounds the orifice 33 within the lower end ofthe tube 29, a hand wheel 40 being provided at the upper end of thevalve rod whereby the rod may be adjusted so as to vary the position ofits tapered lower end with respect to the said valve seat. At this pointit will be understood that water is supplied, substantially drop bydrop, to the calcium carbide, by way of the lower end of the tube 29,and in order that the supply of'water may be insured and to preventanylikelihood-of clogging of the orifice 33, means is provided forsupplying air under pressure to the said tube 29, and for this purposethe coupling 34 is provided with a radial branch 41 to which acompressed air supply pipe 42 may be connected.

The compressed air supply pipe 42 is conis indicated in general by thenumeral 43 and this compressed air tank may be arranged in any suitableposition within or upon the automobilein connection with which theapparatus is installed, as for example behind the dash board. Airunderpressure is supplied to the tank 43 through the medium of an air pump 44the piston rod 45 of which is designed to be operatively connected, inany appropriate manner, with some moving part of the-engine of theautomobile, so that, while the engine is running, air will be compressedand supplied to the said tank, and in order that excess pressure may beavoided, a safety valve 46 of any of the ordinary types is connectedwith the tank and opens through one wall thereof. A pressure gage 47 islikewise preferably mounted upon the tank so that theuser of theapparatus may ascertain the pressure of the air within the tank.

Air under pressure is delivered from the tank 43 by way of a pipe 48 anda cut-off valve 49 is interposed in this pipe and may be coupling, and amanually operable cut-off.

valve 51 is interposed in the length of the said pipe 42 and may beadjusted so as to regulate the supply of air under pressure by way ofthe said pipe 42 to the water supply tube 29. A coupling 52 is connectedto the lower end of the pipe 48 and a compressed air supply pipe 53 isconnected at one end to this coupling and at its other end is placed incommunication with the generating chamber 7 as clearly shown in Figuresl and -2 of the drawings, a manually adjustable cutoffvalve 54 beinginterposed in the said pipe 53 so that the air under pressure, deliveredto the generating chamber 7 by way ofthe pipe 53 may be controlled.

As stated, the compressed air tank 43 may be located behind the dashboard of the automobile, and the pump 44 is intended to be operated bysome moving part of the engine or the transmission and therefore locatedrelatively remote from the tank 43, and therefore a flexible air hose45" is provided to es tablish connection between thepump and the saidtank. The generator 1 may be mounted at any desired point butpreferably-upon one of the running boards ofthe automobile.

In order that the generated acetylene gas may be thoroughly dried andall impurities separated therefrom prior to deliveryof the gas to thecarburetor 5, the'gas is caused to circulate throughthe drying units 2and 3, and as illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings, these units,which are of counterpart construction, consists each'of a chamber 55which may be of metal and within which absorbent'cotton or any othersuitable .absorbent and filtering material 56 is arranged, each chamberhaving a relatively large-mouth 57 through which thematerial 56 may beintroduced and this mouth being exteriorly threaded as at 58 for theapplication thereto of a cap 59. A pipe 60 is connected by a shortlength of rubber hose 61, with a'short delivery pipe 62 which extendsfrom the generating chamber 7, and is coupled-as at 63 to the upper endof a tube 64 which leads downwardly through the cap 59 andinto'the massof material 56 within the chamber -55-of the drying unit 2. Ashortertube 65 is likewise mounted in the cap 59 of this chamber and isconnected by a coupling 66 with one end of a pipe 67 which leads to acoil 68 which is disposed to surround the-exhaust manifold E of theinternal combustion engine, a pipe 69-being led from the other end ofthis coiland connected by a coupling 70 with a tube 71 which correspondsto the tube 64 and: which leads downwardly into the tank of the dryingunit 3 through the top of said unit} Preferably the: units 2 and 3 willbe' arranged at theopposite-sides of the internal combustion engine inconnection with which the apparatus is installed, andattaching brackets72 may be associated with the closure caps 59 of said units forthe pur--pose of attachment to any suitable and convenient fixedpart oftheautomobile, or the engine thereof. The unit 3 likewise contains withinits chamber 55, amass of absorbent material corresponding to the mass56, the

. units being, as previously stated, of counterpart construction, and atthis point it will be evidentthat'the acetylene'gas generated inthegenerator 1 will be delivered, by way of the pipe 60, to the unit 2 andwill circulate through the mass ;of absorbent material 56 withinthechamber 55 of said unit and will then pass,-by way of the pipe 67, tothecoil 68 where it .will be heated, due to'the heat radiated from theexhaust manifold E and through the pipe 69 to the unit 3-where itcirculates through the mass of absorbent material within the chamber 55of this unit,

and the closure cap'of this unit supports'a pipe 7 3 corresponding tothe pipe 65 of the unit 2 to which'is connected, by a coupling.

74, one end of a pipe 75 which leads to the carburetor of the apparatus.7 r

The carburetor 5 of the apparatus comprises a mixing chamber which isindicated by the numeral 7 6 and which is preferably of the generalspherical form shown in Fig- 'ure 4 of the drawings, andat one side thischamber is provided with an intake spent 77. which is preferably of theflared form shown in the said figure, and a valve seat 78 is formedwithin the inner end of the said spout substantially at the juncture ofthe spout with the said chamber 76. A valve is arranged within the spout77 of the earburetor and comprises a head 79 which coacts with thevalve'seat 7 8, and a stem80 which extends from the head and through a guide81 provided"withinthe'said spout, the stem slidably fittingthrough saidguide and being provided at its outer end with a collar 82 'againstwhich:bears one end of aspring 83 which is arranged upon the valve stem andwhich spring bearsatits other end against the guide 81thusyieldablyholding the valve 79 in closed position resting upon theseat 78. At its side opposite the side from which the spout 77 extends,the mixing chamber 76 of the carburetor is provided with a tubularextension 84 which is provided at its outer endwith flange 85 adaptingthe same to be bolted to the intake of the intake manifold, indicated bythe reference letter I, of the internal combustion engine, it beingunderstood that the carburetor 5 of the apparatus of the presentinvention is to supplant the carburetor ordinarily employed andconnected with the said intake manifold. The tuburetor may becontrolled, a valve 89 is mounted in the said extension 86 and isprovided with aport 90 which may be brought into and out of registrationwith the passageway 88 by rotation of the valve, the valve stem beingprovided in its upper end with a crank arm 91 to which is connected arod 92 which may lead to the instrument board of the automobile uponwhich the apparatus is installed.

In order that a suitable volume of air may be admitted to the mixingchamber 7 6 of the carburetor 5,'while the engine is idling, the

mixing chamber is formed in its under side with an opening 92, and avalve plate 93 is slidably mounted, by a screw 94, upon the under sideof the said mixing'chamber and is provided with a projecting fingerpiece 95 which may be grasped for the purpose of adjusting the same, thevalve plate having an opening 96 therein and having its portion in whichthe opening is formed slidably engaged in a boss 97 formed upon theunder side of the mixing chamber and provided with an inlet'opening 98,it being understood that by loosening the screw 94,-the valve plate maybe adjusted so as to vary the size of the passageway afiorded by theopenings 92, 96 and 98, and thus regulate the supply of airto the mixingchamber of the carburetor, the screw 94 being of course adapted to betightened after the desired adjustmenthas been effected, so as to holdthe said valve plate in its position of adjustment.

Figure 7 of the drawings illustrates a slightly modified form of thecarburetor, and

in this figure the carburetor mixing chamber is indicated by the numeral99 and-the intake nozzle by the numeral 100, the nozzle being providedin its inner end with a valve stem guide 101 corresponding to the guide81, of the previously described embodiment, and a similar guide 102being arranged within the inner end of the mixing chamber 99 adjacentthe point of juncture of the tubular extension which are disposedagainst the opposite faces of the body 106 and secured in place by nuts108 threaded upon the stem of the valve which isindicated by the numeral109, the

stem being slidably fitted. through the guides 101 and102, and a spring110 being arranged upon the stem and hearing at one end against theguide 102 and at its other end against the valve head 105. In otherrespects the carburetor shown in Figure 7 is identical with thecarburetor shown in Figure 4 and previously' described.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understoodthat the valve 51 is adjusted so as to provide for the supply of airunder pressure through the pipe 42 in sufiicient volume to insure of theproper delivery of water from the reservoir 6 into the mass of calciumcarbide within the tray 22, the valve rod 38 being adjusted so as toregulate the supply of water, and it will likewise be evident that thevalve 54 may be adjusted so as to provide for the supply of air underpressure to the generating chamber 7 to cause fiowof the generated gasfrom this chamber through the pipe 60, to the drying-unit 2, where thegas is freed of the major portion of its moisture content, the gas beingdeliveredfrom this unit by way of the pipe 67 to the coil 68 where thegas is heated and further dried and then delivered by way of the pipe 69to the drying unit 3, from which i it passes to the carburetor 5 and itsadmission to the carburetor being controlled by the throttle valve 89which is adjusted through the medium of the rod 92. The gas which isdelivered into the carburetor will of course enter the mixing chamber 76of the carburetor where it will be mixed with air taken in through thespout 77, upon the intake strokes of the pistons of the engine, theexplo- H sive mixture thus produced being delivered to the intakemanifold I and, by way of this ,manifold, to the engine cylinders. Itwill also be evident, from the foregoing, that due to the provision ofthe rubber hose connection 61 between the generating chamber 7 of thegeneratorl and the pipe 60, if there should be an excess of gaspressure, this hose will expand and burst thus-avoiding any damage tothe other parts of the apparatus, it being a simple matter to replacethe hose, in the event this mishap occurs.

It will be understood, in connection with the generator 1, that, due tothe spacing of the peripheral and'bottom' walls of the tray 22fromthecorresponding walls of the tray 17, a free circulation of the waterthrough the mass of calcium carbide is provided, and

the waste product, which is in the form of a powder, due to thedisintegration of the calcium carbide lumps, in the generation of thegas therefrom, may fall through the mesh of the tray onto the bottom ofthe tray 17 from which it may be removed from time to time, as required.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In a generator of the character described,

a generating chamber, an annular flange formed upon the inner surface ofthe wall of the chamber near the top thereof, a sheet a water reservoirresting upon said chamher, and means for feeding Water from thereservoir to the chamber, as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MATTHEW PANOHIGIC

